Warmer waters are causing a record number of injuries from stingrays, threatening Southern California beachgoers while also giving researchers anxiety about stingrays getting squashed.
Off Southern California, a marine heat wave is coinciding with a rise in stingray injuries. Unusually warm shallow water is pulling in more beachgoers just as stingrays cluster in the same nearshore areas.
Here's what to know
More swimmers and waders are being stung because very warm coastal conditions have concentrated both people and stingrays in the same habitat, according to the Associated Press.
Marine heat waves are prolonged stretches of abnormally warm ocean temperatures. In Southern California, that warmth is making the shallows more appealing to people trying to cool off while also creating conditions that bring stingrays into the same zone.
Stingrays often react defensively when someone steps on them, so crowded shallow water raises the odds of an accidental and painful encounter. A hot ocean can turn a routine swim into a trip to the hospital.
More background
When temperatures rise, people naturally head for the coast, and even a small shift in animal behavior or habitat use can increase the odds of injury.
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Human activity is part of that picture. Planet-heating pollution is making many heat events more intense, and warmer oceans can change where marine animals rest and feed. At the same time, heavy beach use means more people moving through the same shallow, sandy areas that stingrays favor.
This is the kind of hazard that can disrupt an ordinary family beach day, especially when the normally cold ocean water off the California coast gets warmer and feels inviting. The shallows can get crowded fast, making a dangerous situation for both the humans and the rays.
What can be done?
Awareness is one of the simplest precautions. If unusually warm water is drawing large crowds into the shallows, beachgoers should assume stingrays may be nearby and move carefully rather than charging straight in.
One of the best-known precautions is the "stingray shuffle," a slow, sliding step through shallow water that can warn stingrays before someone steps directly on them. Wearing protective water shoes can also help, though they are not a guarantee against injury.
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It also helps to pay attention to lifeguard warnings, posted advisories, and local beach conditions before getting in the water. If stings are rising in a particular area, choosing a different access point or avoiding the warmest, most crowded shallows may reduce the risk.
As hotter conditions reshape coastlines, communities may need better public warnings, stronger beach safety messaging, and more education about how to share space with wildlife.
As heat changes the way people and animals use coastal habitat, accidental encounters can become more common and more painful.
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